Now that the Sidekicker is going into production, go to page 8 for ordering information. July 18th (2012) deadline for advance order discount!
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The Sidekicker is a patented well-executed adjustable sidestand that resolves lean-angle issues, but is only available for the R1200GS. Steve Ruth and his partner are working on the version for our F800GS (and presumably the F650GS twin). At the Bloomsburg rally where the Sidekicker was demonstrated, he said the F800GS version would be available early Spring. In an email yesterday, he wrote that not much progress was made, and now he is looking at early summer. You know how these side projects can get pushed to the back burner, so I am considering a Group Buy of a custom run of F800GS Sidekickers (he makes custom Sidekickers for any bike). It may turn into the first run of the final product, anyway. The price of the R1200GS version is $349.

Please have a look at the link above, especially the "How It Works" video, and reply with your interest. I'll go from there.

WOW at last..... I have been doing back of the envelope designs to fix the side stand for about a year but time just has not presented itself to allow me to put them into action. We want two, were do we send the cash?

Yes, we can agree it is expensive, just like the bike it mounts to, and if you want either, you pay the price. Its value to you will be based upon how often you park on uneven and sloped surfaces, the weight of your fully packed bike, and the length of your inseam. The price will be almost irrelevant for anyone who constantly deals with all three!

He offers it as pictured and in different colors. I will ask for black.

This is a very viable solution to this excessive lean issue - loaded or not but especially on uneven ground.

I've been waiting and waiting for these guys to bring something to market.

In the interim, I've drilled and tapped my side stand and installed a hockey puck to the bottom. Had to wittle away quite a lot of the puck to make it clear the side stand but enough remains to not only provide a bigger foot print for the side stand but also brings the bike up to a manageable lean angle when the side stand is deployed.

I used the same thing on my R1200GS with no wittling of the hockey puck required, worked like a wizard and saved my bacon on many occassions.

I would definitely be interested in this side stand, but am a bit agasp at the pricing. Looks like a quality item though.

If it were somewhere under $200.00, or even closer to $150.00 I'd be all over it, but, the price is a strong incentive to stay with my hockey puck, stainless steel bolt, washer and a little time - cost me a grand total of around $3.00 and about an hour.

The point of this device is the adjustment of the length, not that it is longer than stock. There are plenty of times I've parked and found the stock length works fine (such as my garage floor or the crown of a road is on my left), which is why the Sidekicker starts at stock length. If a static length was the solution, it'd be a cheap fix and this device would have no market.

I have Pivot Pegs, too, so I am interested in the answer to that question. If I had to choose the Pivot Pegs or the Sidekicker, that'd be a tough one (other than I already own the pegs!).

As to gunk clogging the device, it appears it is just as exposed to the elements as the stock stand. I've never had an issue with my side stand not working due to mud. The switch stopped working, though, until I cleaned out the crud.

I like it, but it would have to be below $125 for it to be worth it. Until then, I will continue to place a rock or stick under the side stand when the bike is leaning too much on soft terrain. On a side note, I have never really had too much of an issue with how this bike sits on its side stand. I know it 'looks' like it's leaning too much, but it's actually not. It's just the way the bike is designed. Point being, my bike has never tipped over in my 3 years of owning it while on the side stand.

As a result of this thread, the designer has asked me to test the Sidekicker through it's development and fitment on my F800GS. Of course, how can I say "No"? If you have any issues you'd like Steve to be aware of, please post them here, or PM me.

On the F650GS with the forks lowered through the triple clamp about 20mm, the side stand foot digs into the ground too easily when putting it down. The foot needs to be further away form the bike so that it's easier to swing down for the vertically challenged rider without leaning the bike to the right so that it clears the ground as it comes down.

The biggest issue is the dimensions on the triangle created by the tyre contact points and the stand, it needs to be a larger triangle for more stability, a by product of increasing the sides of the triangle out to the stand will be that at it's lowest point in the "swing down arc" it will be higher off the ground.

I would not just copy the geometry of the original one, IMO it is wrong in almost every direction.

Well I've parked my F8 on whatever soft or hard surface or weird angle or grade you could throw at it and it's never fallen over yet.

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Thanks for posting the photos of your upright motorcycle, and we're pleased you know how to use rocks under your sidestand. You are obviously very proud of the skill, and I'm confident most inmates are taking notes of your accomplishment.

The biggest issue is the dimensions on the triangle created by the tyre contact points and the stand....

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I don't know if the Sidekicker changes the angle of the stand in relation to the frame. Steve and I spoke on the phone last night about the three length possibilities: F800GS and F650GS twin in standard and lowered suspension.